Letters to the Editor

City avoiding ‘costly’ paving

Written by Mark Peyton, Gothenburg
Wednesday, 26 May 2010 21:51

“Council to Open Street” In rereading the May 12 edition of The Times I noticed something I hadn’t seen earlier.

On the lower half of the front page was a gray insert that I skipped over. The insert pertained to the City Council discussing the opening of Avenue J from 25th through 27th streets. Probably a good idea.

However, I had to laugh when I read the following: “…the council decided to gravel it for now because paving is costly.” City policy is that land owners on either side of a street are responsible for the cost of paving that street. The land on one side of this street is owned by the Redevelopment Authority.

The Redevelopment Authority is nothing more than a sub-committee of the City Council itself. Thus, the City Council, when faced with the cost of paving admits that paving is costly, and in this case, so costly it is not warranted.

Two years ago I made this same argument to the same City Council members when they decided to pave 22nd and 23rd streets between Avenue G and Avenue H. When I pointed out that their estimate of $1.40/linear foot translated to a $28,000 paving bill for me alone the Council Members said they understood, however, paving would never get any cheaper and besides, the paving would be for the benefit of the city.

Now, when the City Council is faced with the full cost of a “benefit” they decide that paving is too costly.

Elementary track meet revisited

Written by Matt Franzen, Doane College head football coach
Thursday, 20 May 2010 16:17

Elementary track meet revisited

The recent track season got me thinking about my early days and the only track meets I ever competed in. This got me reminiscing about an annual event that I deemed, at the time, to be very traumatic for me. Looking back, I believe this event may have helped to instill a healthy competitive nature and had much to do with who I am and what I do today.

Attending Gothenburg Public Schools as an elementary student in the late ‘70’s, I was required (along with every other student) to participate in the annual elementary school track meet. One entire school day was set aside for this and each student had to enter into at least three events. To me, this was a huge day – it seemed that the entire community came out to watch (although it was probably only parents).

The problem for me was that I was not exactly fleet of foot. I would dread the day for weeks and always ask my mother to call me in sick on that day. Thankfully, she never succumbed to my pleading. She told me that I needed to go and do my best. The only saving grace was that we always got ice cream afterward.

The thing that made this so tough was that there were only three ribbons given out for each event. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place was it. After that, well, better luck next year. I knew that the slipper kick was the only event I even had a remote chance to place in (and I did, once). The other events? Forget about it.

Enough rambling. What did I learn from all this? I learned that I hate to lose. I learned that even though the odds were stacked against me, I still had to show up and give my best. I learned that if I wanted to experience athletic success, maybe I’d better find another field of study (fortunately, tackle football came along for me in 7th grade). I also learned that not everyone gets the same reward at the end of the day.

Now, did these learning experiences hurt? Did these lessons burn me a little? Was going home without a ribbon painful for the young Franzen? Heck yes! Did it scar me? Did it destroy my confidence and ruin me forever after? Well, as I stated earlier, I don’t know how else I would have learned some of these lessons so effectively and completely without it.

I realize that this is only one person’s experience, but it concerns me when I hear about athletic competition for young kids where no score is kept or where every kid takes home a ribbon. I don’t have kids of my own yet, but I know enough to know that parents hurt when their kids are disappointed. However, it teaches nothing and even handicaps the kids when parents will step forward and try to remove the challenge that can help to make them successful when they enter a society that is based on competition. It is very important to foster a young child’s confidence when the opportunity arises, but real life contains plenty of set-backs, defeats, and frustrations and how these things are handled has everything to do with success in the real world.

And to my mom—thank you.

Reference to father is degrading

Written by gothenburgtimes
Wednesday, 19 May 2010 21:03

As three past graduates of Gothenburg High School who have a strong family history of graduates from Gothenburg Public Schools, we find it highly inappropriate to allow this publication in the Gothenburg Times.

In this article, student Andrew Collins states “...and Jay Holmes get a real job.” Even if there is an underlying message that we are unaware of, it is a degrading reference to our father.

With his dedicated work to the school system by pumping in many hours of behind the scenes and intense labor he continued giving his time by volunteering for the Gothenburg Legion baseball for over 30 years. Despite these long hours, he has and is continuing to raise four children.

With his “real job” he has put three of us through undergraduate higher education degrees, one, almost two, through graduate school and the fourth to continue on this path. With this much dedication and hard work this is no way to represent anybody.

Our family is very devoted to the success and well being of Gothenburg Public Schools and the community. A statement like this shows disregard to our family’s, especially our father’s, allegiance to our youth’s future. To allocate this type of slander by students shows them that it is okay to disrespect adults.

We are very proud of our father and our family. We are very saddened by the negative light that has been cast against our father. As proud graduates of Gothenburg High School, our hope is that the students and faculty will be portrayed in a better, more positive, image that they deserve.

We will always continue to have support for the Gothenburg community and wish good will to the graduating Class of 2010.

Kelsey Holmes

Kiel Holmes

Cassie Holmes-Kinney

Look at history is disputed

Written by Neil A. Davis
Friday, 14 May 2010 22:02

Lloyd Pohl’s last letter began with “I was wrong.” He could have stopped there, but he had to go on and prove it. Lloyd wrote, “...Hitler had a hate-spewing propagandist named Goebels.” Lloyd thinks I am so busy spouting Goebbels, Limbaugh and Palin propaganda, that I am “incapable of connecting the dots.” Evidently he has read my extensive writings about my love for book burning and my hatred of Jews. What’s hilarious here is that Goebbels’ “Big Lie” technique, fits Lloyd’s people to a tee. I challenge Lloyd to produce some irrefutable instances of things Limbaugh and Palin have said that are not true. He probably thinks Palin said “I can see Russia from my house.”

In one letter he implied that conservatives would have allowed the confederate states to secede, because war is expensive. In the next he writes, “...take the trouble to read a little history, you’ll find that the party of Lincoln financed the Civil War.” Which does he hate more, that they didn’t want to finance the war, or that they did? Who are these demons that are constantly tormenting Lloyd by sneeringly denouncing tax-and-spend Democrats?

Apparently Lloyd finds reading troublesome. I don’t. I took some time to read a little history. I found that the party of Wilson financed WWI, FDR-WWII, Truman-Korea, JFK and Johnson-Vietnam.

Reagan financed the end of the Cold War without loss of life. Some might say that was worth it (not Lloyd). Reagan did have one of the largest tax increases in history, but it was only a one third roll-back of a massive tax cut the year before. His other large tax increase was for Social Security and Medicare (those pesky runaway liberal entitlements).

Then Lloyd wrote, “I figure we wouldn’t even have a country if conservatives had their way.” He backs this statement up with a list of wonderful land requisitions by conservatives and the improvements they made to the land. That seems a little “mixed up” to me. Lloyd asked, “How many times have you heard the conservative hate-mongering propagandists use the term “baby killer”?

Lloyd remembers a lot of stuff, but his memory is pretty selective. I remember Vietnam vets being spat on and being called baby killers when they returned home. The people that did that have a poster boy named John Kerry.

Maybe Lloyd has been living under a bridge. He wrote, “...conservatives put Hitler-like whiskers on pictures of Obama.” Has he never seen the same pictures of Bush or heard him called “chimpy” by lefties? Use Google images (type in Hitler Bush). When it comes to free speech, liberals are the only ones who are supposed to have any. When they can’t win the argument, it’s because the opposition engages in propaganda. When liberals speak, truth suffers.

I don’t have room this time to connect the dots on weapons of mass destruction, torture, death panels, losers and the fact that I can’t read.

Team up to end Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer’s disease is relentless in its progression—first, simple forgetfulness, then activities like bathing, dressing, and eating require assistance. Memories are lost. Family and friends suffer as their loved one becomes someone they no longer know, someone who no longer knows them. Alzheimer’s is not normal aging—it is a progressive and deadly disease.

Almost 5.5 million Americans and their families deal with this devastating disease every day. Experts predict that 10 million baby boomers will develop Alzheimer’s disease.

Starting this year, there will be almost a half million new cases of Alzheimer’s disease each year. If current trends continue, Alzheimer’s will bankrupt families, communities, and our healthcare system.

Currently, there is no cure. However, as one of America’s leading private funders of research into Alzheimer’s disease, the Alzheimer’s Association is moving closer to a cure. But everything they have done and need to do is possible only through generous support of people like you. All the research and support the Association funds is achieved mostly through gifts made by individuals, organizations, and businesses who are willing to do what they can to stop this killer once and for all.

Join us and walk together to make a difference at this year’s Dawson County Memory Walk. Memory Walk is the nations’ largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support, and research. You can help raise awareness and funds by asking for the generous support of your family, friends, co-workers and anyone else you know who may be willing to support your goal.

You can start a team, join a team or walk as an individual. When you participate in the Memory Walk you join other frontline champions in the growing movement to end Alzheimer’s. This year nearly 600 Memory Walk events will take place in communities across the country. Help us raise funds to support those affected by this devastating disease. Participate and help us move toward a world without Alzheimer’s.

Golf and walk! This year’s Dawson County Memory Walk is being held at the Cozad Country Club on Wednesday, June 16. Cozad Country Club is donating nine holes of golf between 3 and 7 p.m. Participants can walk the course or may golf the course instead. Either way, golf or walk—you are supporting the services provided by the Alzheimer’s Association, Great Plain Chapter.

The Memory Walk’s traditional walk will take place at 5:30 p.m. A complimentary meal is being served along with refreshments and snacks. Participants will have a chance to win raffle prizes donated by businesses in Lexington, Cozad and Gothenburg.

It’s easy to register for the walk. Everything you need to know is online at http://memorywalk2010.kintera.org/dawsoncone or contact Linda Butterfield 308-537-4397; e-mail:
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
. If you are unable to join us the day of the event, you can make a donation at the website shown above or mail a check payable to the Alzheimer’s Association to the address shown below.

Weather Forecast

e-Subscription Login

E-Subscriptions are now offered with each week's complete issue available in PDF format on Wednesday afternoons. To purchase an E-Subscription please fill out our Contact Form and select 'Request an e-Subscription.'